We thank Mr Lim Kock Lian for his views (Right time to get more to return their trays, June 3).

We agree with him that the current Covid-19 situation presents an opportunity to reinforce the message of keeping hawker centre tables clean and returning our trays.

In February, the National Environment Agency (NEA) launched the SG Clean campaign to galvanise collective action to keep our premises clean.

This included encouraging tray return as one of the seven habits of good public hygiene. The NEA hopes to sustain these initiatives beyond the Covid-19 situation, and make them a way of life.

Prior to the circuit breaker period, stallholders and cleaning contractors at hawker centres stepped up their cleaning efforts to upkeep good public hygiene.

These efforts included increasing the frequency of cleaning areas with high contact points, such as table tops, seats and hand rails, and requiring cleaners to wear gloves.

SG Clean ambassadors were also deployed to hawker centres to advise patrons on safe distancing and the returning of their trays.

These enhanced measures will continue when dining-in resumes at our hawker centres.

But patrons also need to do their part if the cleanliness of our hawker centres is to be maintained.

Patrons should eat with their bowl or plates on the trays, and return all used crockery and trays to keep the tables clean for the next patron.

Patrons must also not leave behind soiled tissues on the tables. Used tissue paper can be highly contaminated as it is often used to cover a cough or a sneeze, or to wipe respiratory discharge and sputum.

Respiratory discharge and sputum from persons infected with Covid-19 and other diseases can contain high amounts of viruses or bacteria

and can pose a risk to others who touch them directly, or touch the surfaces contaminated by them.

NEA seeks everyone's cooperation to keep our hawker centres clean and hygienic, and keep diseases such as Covid-19 at bay.

We appreciate Mr Lim's suggestion to legislate tray return, and will continue to study the best balance between education and enforcement.

Andrew Low

Director, Hawker Centres Division

National Environment Agency